We were there for their prime rib special on Sunday nights, which you need to reserve to make sure that you can be accommodated. Cooked perfectly rare for both of us which is our preference. We also had bang bang shrimp app and a cup of French onion soup as a starter. Everything great and perfectly served. We had the Baignets for desert, which were amazing, served with Caramel sauce. Reminded me of New Orleans. Our server Emily was the best. We will be back next year for sure... read more

Very Disappointed -- Would Never Go Back We had eaten at Primary once while visiting the Highlands a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, that experience was disappointing from the beginning. The bartenders were rude and unhelpful, and the food and service were two stars at best. The one reason we decided to give Primary another chance was the Sunday night prime rib, which happens to be one of my favorite meals. I completely understand requiring a credit card to hold a reservation. I was a chef for 10 years, so I understand the business side of reservations and no-shows. Unfortunately, our French Bulldog became seriously ill around 3:30 AM Sunday morning, and we felt we needed to rush him to BluePearl in Atlanta. Because of the emergency, we obviously could not make our dinner reservation. I tried calling Primary, but no one answered. The recorded message instructed me to send a message through the OpenTable application, which I did. I explained exactly what had happened and asked if they would please refund the reservation charge given the circumstances. I also emailed the owner personally and explained the situation. His response was simply no because we did not show up. I reminded him that I had followed the restaurant's own instructions and contacted them through OpenTable as soon as I could. He still refused. What bothered me most wasn't the money. It was the complete lack of professionalism, customer service, and empathy. Emergencies happen. I would have expected a restaurant to understand that a sick family pet requiring emergency veterinary care is very different from simply deciding not to show up. After our first disappointing experience, we gave Primary another chance because of the prime rib. Unfortunately, the way this situation was handled guaranteed that we will never return. If I could give the owner negative one star, I would. Don't waste your money or your time supporting a business that treats customers this way. read more

There are many delightful options in Highlands, but this is not one of them!!! I went down for the count with food poisoning from the Tuna Tartare appetizer. The crab salad layer between the tuna and rice was spoiled and I PAID for it all night in the bathroom. To top it all off, all the reviews about the snarky manager are accurate! He was unpleasant at the hostess stand and set the tone for the evening. DO NOT RECOMMEND! read more

Primary Restaurant and Bar - Menú 10/24/25 - Wine Bars Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Great experience through and through! Emily B was our server and she was as sweet as can be. We ordered a reasonably priced bottle of Sancerre for the table, the oyster special and a wedge salad to start with. All were delicious and fast to the table. We had the primary salad with chicken, the trout BLT, and the chicken and waffles and they did NOT disappoint. Would recommend this restaurant when in the highlands area, the bar is beautiful, the restaurant is decorated modernly and the music they play is perfect for the ambience. Thank you, we'll be back again! read more

Primary Restaurant and Bar - Wedge salad and bottle of Sancerre - Wine Bars Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Beautiful bright modern restaurant with a warm ambience. Bar is large with plenty of bar seating and a small cozy seating area. Dining room offers booths, tables, banquettes, or outdoor options. Dining on a Friday for lunch it was fairly quiet for a sunny mid- November afternoon. Parking is a bit of a challenge in the center but side street or along the ends of the street options are available. We were thrilled to see local trout on the menu. We ordered trout sandwich served on housemade hogie type rolls and a crab cake sandwich served on a homemade brioche bun. For the included side option, housemade thin and crunchy potato chips were devoured. I was surprised that the truffle fries were frozen...why not make them fresh? No problem having the aioli served on the side Service was delightful and we look forward to our next visit. After lunch, we enjoyed strolling along the shops all decked out for the holidays. read more

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Beware...really poor customer service and business practices. I made a reservation on OpenTable and then canceled, but was charged $75 for cancelling with less than 24 hours notice. Apparently, I didn't read the "fine print" at the way bottom of the page. Of course, there was no mention of a late cancellation charge in the confirmation text that I received. I've never been charged a late cancellation at a restaurant before! Why did we cancel? My mother-in-law had been once before and mentioned that the ambience was dark/depressing and the food is way overpriced for the quality. Plenty of other great restaurants in the Highlands to try! read more

Primary Restaurant and Bar - Confirmation info - Wine Bars Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Food was outstanding! Friends of ours told us to go, made a reservation for 630. I read the reviews before we went, so I was prepared to order the cornbread, bacon, and the crispy Brussels. Outstanding! I ordered a salad for my entrée, husband got the ribeye steak . It was outstanding. A full bulb of baked garlic comes with the steak. The paste along with an extra bite of the bacon was extraordinary. Again, great food but... I would suggest when you make a reservation that you request not to be sat close to the door we were upfront next to the host stand, so every time door opened,We were freezing, and guests that we're waiting were literally standing on top of us while we ate. Beautiful bar area and a nice vibe. read more

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Well, I am happy we didn't look at Yelp reviews before coming here for brunch because we had a great experience. Our server, Jenna, provided outstanding service. We were both very happy with our entrees. We would gladly come back if in town again. read more

We went on a rather sleepy lunch date here. The service was good, prompt, and our server made good recommendations. The food was solid, and the drinks were well made. I wouldn't say this is anything exceptional but a solid choice in a very busy area with lots of options! read more

Went for brunch on Sunday The Beignets were world class! New Orleans only better. After the beignets and iced tea it was all downhill. Chicken and waffles were meh. Waffles were dry and needed a lot of extra maple syrup. Chicken was fried strips of chicken. Like frozen big tenders. Honey butter was hard just out of the fridge. Prime rib hash was not good. Prime rib was well done and fatty. My dogs would have loved it. I would go back only for the beignets & iced tea read more

Everything superb. Quiet and comfortable. Matthew our server was excellent. Do not allow bringing your own wine but found a great one from a winery in Napa we know and owner has his own bottling from There. Ceasar salad probably best Iv'e had. Entrees were steak filet and pork chop. Both perfect. Beignets for desert better than NOLA. A great spot on Main Street. read more

We have been coming pretty regularly and the food was always great! We always had a friendly server and love to eat there as their menu is really good. read more

We decided to check out The Primary a couple of weekends ago while visiting the area. Once we were seated, a friendly couple of patrons helped us by making several suggestions regarding ordering (they were "regulars.") we started off with an order of the Tempura Brussel Sprouts, which were awesome! For our main courses, we ended up ordering the Special of the Day, chili and corn bread and the ahi tuna. Dessert was the house made bread pudding with white chocolate and caramel. The food was really good and our server, DJ, was knowledgeable and welcoming. read more

What a classy restaurant, should be one of the best. Definitely take the time and make a reservation or you may not get in. Pork chop one of the best I have had. I cook a lot of food on the grill, but this tops the cake. Definitely try the burger which is one of the best in the city! Burger has quality meat and is large in size and is very filling. read more

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I read the reviews prior to making a reservation for this place and I tend to take the good with the bad. That being said for those who complained about no substitutions there is a clause in the fine print of the menu which I took a snapshot of. Our experience was delightful. Our server was able to recommend good dishes. I ordered the local trout and shrimp with roasted corn and polenta. It was delicious. Right amount for dinner but not so much you can't eat all of it. My husband got the lamb chops and was slightly disappointed because the lamb was tough to cut. The Brussels sprouts were a good choice especially if you aren't a fan. We tried the carrot cake and it is definitely enough for two. The only complaint we had was on a Monday night we were still required to make reservations for 5 pm and the place was empty. Otherwise we recommend the place and the food was good. read more

I wish I could review the food and drinks but we tried to go there for dinner at 7:50 last night when they are open until 9:00pm. We were told they were closing Early because they haven't set a table in 30 min. And wouldn't let us come eat or get a drink at the bar. Seems odd that in the middle of the peak summer season in Highlands with a town full of people that this place is turning customers away over an hour before stated closing time. There is a disconnect I'm sure between ownership and the 18 year old ladies at the front desk who wanted to leave early. It's bad business and seems others may have had a similar experience judging by an empty restaurant at 8:00pm. There were no remaining reservations remaining on seven rooms so that needs to be tweaked as well. In a town like this with people who don't mind spending money, it only takes one experience such as this, to make us not try again next summer, if they are still in business. Pay the staff for one more hour, be open when you say you are. read more

Walked in to have an after dinner drink. We were told to leave because we couldn't bring in outside food. We explained to the host that the food was a doggy bag and that we had already eaten next door. The manager rolled her eyes and told us to leave. The restaurant was empty on a Saturday night.... This place is a dump and the manager should be fired. Truly awful experience. There are so many great restaurants and people in the Highlands. Do not go here. read more

Our wait time was more than double what we were quoted. When we asked how much longer they could not give us an estimate. Our waitress was kind, but the prices were outrageous for the quality of food. Black coffee was $8 and to sub out fries for a small house salad was an additional $10. read more

Excellent date night dinner. Cesear salad, oysters, cornbread, and lamb lollipops were enjoyed during our meal. Overall was appropriately priced. The atmosphere is elegant yet comfortable and the staff were friendly and attentive. Cocktails were very well made. read more

Primary Restaurant and Bar - Old fashioned. Lamb lollipops over mashed potatoes served with green beans. Cornbread. - Wine Bars Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Customer service and food Chicken was COLD. would not go back. Worst ever. Don't bother to stop at this Zaxbys. It's needs new management ! Very sad I stopped read more

Two visits in the last six weeks. One for dinner. Very average. One fish special and two highly touted chicken fried steak specials. Sides were more or less the same. Nothing special though the cornbread is commendable. Bar scene is lively. Lunch today. Sad, tired grocery story greens so so. read more

The Primary was the perfect place for our group dinner. I drove from Franklin to meet my group who were motorcycle riding all afternoon at the restaurant and was a bit nervous to try a new place to eat with my picky friends. However, we were all blown away with the food, the ambiance and the servers. The servers were thoughtful and attentive. The craft cocktails were interesting and the desserts were YUMMMMY. My husband said the Salmon was one of the best he's had (definitely in the top 3 of my life, direct quote). The salads were great and the tempura Brussels were so good the table ordered a second round. We will definitely be back again! read more

Had a great dinner here and can't recommend it enough for others to enjoy. It is a Mountain modern restaurant with a very eclectic menu that allows everyone to get something they would want. We had 4 there for dinner and you need to get reservations to ensure your seating. Ensure you look at their website because large groups will likely not be seated together. We got two of their appetizers to share and they were absolutely delicious. The tempura brussel sprouts were some for what best I've ever had. Their tune tower with avocado and Caviar was superb. Their salad items are full meals. They do side salads for meals but if you order just the salad, you will be pleasantly stuffed at the end. I got their country fried beef tenderloin and it was some of the best I have had. We got a decadent chocolate cake and I'll say this, that is a four person sharing dessert due to its size. If you're in highlands this is a great location that you need to try and I'd bet you'll try and come back. read more

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My wife and I stopped in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. We were able to sit outside along the sidewalk on a beautiful day. I was not familiar with the restaurant so did not know what to expect. We were very pleasantly surprised. My wife had the Aji tuna tower which was a beautiful presentation and scrumptious ,with layered sushi grade tuna ,rice, avocado ,bean sprouts and Golden caviar. I had the trout BLT . Generous ,perfectly fried portions of delicious trout with thick sliced bacon and a delicious remoulade sauce. We also had fried okra and truffle parmesan fries,both outstanding.The waitress Shelby was very personable and helpful. I highly recommend this restaurant! read more

This place is excellent! My wife and I sat outside on a cool sunny fall day and browsed a tempting menu. We decided to split three items, Chicken Fried Tenderloin, Truffle Fries and a Wedge Salad. The batter in the steaks was perfect, light and flavorful, the tenderloin melt in your mouth. Truffle fries looked hand cut with a great side sauce. The wedge had a light blue cheese and crispy lettuce. No room for dessert but would love to go back out next trip to The Highlands. read more

Primary Restaurant and Bar - Chicken Fried Tenderloin. - Wine Bars Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

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Lovely restaurant in the heart of downtown Highlands. Very good food, excellent service and modern atmosphere amongst the historical Old Edwards Inn district. Wedge Salad, (giant) Shrimp Cocktail, and Truffle Fries were great starters. Our Trout, Ahi Tuna and Steaks were all delicious, finished by a perfect Carrot Cake. It was large enough to be shared for a sweet finale. We had such a lovely dinner to end a memorable week of golden splendor in Cashiers with family. Thanks Telly! read more

Ate at The Primary twice while in HIghlands for a week over the Xmas/NYE holiday. Holly, Gah-ree, Celia - all fabulous at what they do. Great atmosphere, great bar dining. Loved this restaurant. The bacon - OMG. Iceberg wedge, best i ever had. Filet mignon, wagyu burger, pan seared salmon also well prepared. Definitely add it to one of the restaurants on your list. read more

The wagyu burger is amazing. Great place. Love the bar. Love the atmosphere. Amazing food. read more

Primary Restaurant and Bar - Wagyu burger - Wine Bars Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

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Beautiful atmosphere and great staff. The food was delicious and seafood fresh. Also restaurant located in quaint area great for shopping and sightseeing read more

I will gladly drop $300 for dinner and throw in 30% tip for good (not even asking for great) service. But not tonight. Ordered the Wagyu Ribeye and asked to sub corn for asparagus and was given a hard "no". Excuse me, say what?? Changed to a cheaper entree forget a salad and one or two more cocktails. Management/ownership needs to rethink that position, flexibility will go a long way towards saving your waitstaff a lot of grief...and allowing your guests to be generous on tips. Can't say I'll be back. read more

Requested outdoor patio seating which sounded lovely. Ended up being just the breezeway to the shopping center. People dragging their luggage to check in to the hotel upstairs, barking dogs, etc. No music or anything to create a pleasant environment. Service was good. As mentioned I other reviews, no subs on sides which seems ridiculous in this day and age. Ordered the French onion soup which we usually love. This had no melty, gooey cheese and the bread was hard. Very underwhelming. For entree we split the ribeye special. The steak was very think but had good flavor. We asked to sub sides but as mentioned in earlier reviews, this isn't allowed which seems ludicrous in this day and age. At any rate we were given a dollop of smashed potatoes and one asparagus spear each for $80. Total rip off. We won't be going back. read more

We went for dinner last night and were very disappointed in the entire evening. We arrived early thinking we would have a drink in the bar before dinner. No standing was allowed in the bar so since no seats were available to sit, we had to forego that option. Another post said there was a lively bar scene. Not so much! We waited for 30 minutes in a few chairs by the door for our reservation. We witnessed a family of 3 come in for dinner without a reservation and the hostess handed her a card and told her to check the website and use Resy to make one if available. I was astounded she couldn't just look at her bookings and give them an answer. She was more interested in her ipad she was carrying around. I guess their business is so based on technology that the personal touch is lost. Funny story, those folks went online and actually got seated before our party of 4. The restaurant was not crowded and there were empty tables but food service was slow. The quality of the food was subpar. We had a brussel sprouts appetizer that was very greasy. My husband and son-in-law had the lamb chops and neither could eat most of it because the meat had so much gristle. My steak frites had overdone fries and fatty steak. Our daughter had the ahi tuna salad and said it was ok but she didn't finish all of hers either. We have been here many times but I don't think we will be returning anytime soon. read more

Visited for the first time last night in celebration of my birthday. We didn't realize Highlands would be so sleepy on a Saturday night, so we were happy to get an earlier reservation than what was available at other popular restaurants. We ended up sitting at the bar about half an hour before our reservation, and decided to remain there for our meal. The vibe of the restaurant is great, as well as the drink and food menus. Our bartender was attentive and friendly but not overly intrusive, and was definitely a factor in remaining at the bar. His margarita was excellent, as were the other drinks he made. We started with the cornbread and Brussels sprouts. The cornbread with the butter tasted great but was a little crumblier than I usually prefer. The sprouts were also very good, a little greasy, but delicious and my significant other raved about them. I had the country fried steak and he had the lamb chops. Both were wonderful, the accompanying sides nostalgic and tasty. Couple of downsides: restaurant was aware we were there to celebrate my birthday and it would've been nice to have a complimentary dessert (though I seriously don't knock any points from the experience, it would just have been the "cherry on top"), as well as a boisterous table with a couple of children, though the website specifically states the atmosphere they're trying to project (loud children are specifically brought up). Overall, super pleased with the decision to dine at The Primary. Food was great, service was great. read more

Don't waist your time. I ate here yesterday with my mother. The food was underwhelming. My mother didn't even finish her sandwich. The house made bread was so undercooked, I don't know why the chef would have sent it out of the kitchen. The crab cakes were fishy. The prime rib sandwich was tasteless. And they don't need to be bragging about the house cut fries. They were also not worth the eating. To top it if, the service was horrible! It took over an hour to for a simple 2 sandwich lunch. We had to ask 2 separate people to find our waiter for the bill. Save your time and money and go somewhere else. I wish I could give them less stars. read more

Four of us had dinner this evening. Service was excellent, but I was disappointed in my meal which was one of the specials, off the menu. It was a filet of trout with sautéed shrimp, plus accompanying vegetables. My trout was so dry and , apparently, over cooked; it had little taste. The four shrimp were the size of the end of my thumb and the same thing; very overcooked. I guess I could have registered my dissatisfaction, but being with friends I didn't want to cause a delay with the others meal. It was a high price entree and left me feeling cheated. read more

Went in today for lunch (party of 1) and asked to sit up at the bar which was empty and was told it was "full". When I asked what that meant; I was told it was reserved seating. Reserved seating at the bar? Curious, I pressed, reserved? ... I was rudely told by the owners. I have eaten at the bar on a Saturday previously. Maybe new ownership...maybe new patron protocols....won't be back. read more

Tried to lunch at primary today . We had a party of 8. They refused to seat us together stating we could only have a table of 6+ one table of two. We agreed and got two tables next to each other. Once my table of two try to slide the table 3 inches closer to the table of six we were immediately reprimanded and told them they could not move tables at all, and will not accommodate us at all. We chose to leave as a situation was becoming volatile. I do not recommend you give them your business as these people do not know how to treat 8 local customers. Bad business practice and disrespect to prospective customers in general. I would never give this restaurant a dime, or their future restaurant prime, a penny. You have been warned. by the way, the restaurant was empty. Go figure? read more

Awesome food and drinks, great service, and a wonderful ambience. Ask for Ellen - she's fantastic! Top of my list for restaurants and a must visit while in the Highlands :) read more

Excellent dining experience! The cuisine was superb! We had the Caesar salad and steak frites and the flavors and preparation were great. Nice ambiance also. The service was very friendly and efficient. read more

The shrimp and grits aren't typical, but different is quite tasty! The Primary version featuring large prawns. We also had country-fried steak which had a different presentation also in a very tasty way! Corn side was yum! Exceptional bar too!! read more